”It’s a different world out there,” Bowness, 65, said. ”I’m going to have to adjust to it, there is no question. I just want to make sure I’m cautious, which we’ve been since this virus started, and I will continue to do that. My health – hey, I’m a grandfather now, my first grandkid. I intend on playing some golf with that kid down the road. I intend on being here a lot longer. So, yeah, am I going to be careful? Absolutely.”Tennessee Titans for NHL Face Masks

"You've got to get that first year under your belt, especially as a highly skilled offensive player," assistant general manager Dan MacKinnon said of Hughes. "We're confident his second year is going to be better, and his third year will be another step, so we're looking for good things."

That foundation includes centers Nico Hischier, selected No. 1 in the 2017 NHL Draft, and Jack Hughes, the No. 1 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft.Miami Dolphins for NHL Face Masks

Players on an AHL contract are eligible to be assigned to an ECHL team. The ECHL is scheduled to begin its regular season Dec. 11. For example, Syracuse of the AHL assigned four players on an AHL contract to Orlando of the ECHL on Monday. Those players will be in Orlando's training camp. Players on an NHL contract, even if they're expected to play in the AHL, are not eligible to be assigned to an ECHL team. It's possible that the NHL and NHL Players' Association could come to an agreement that allows players on an NHL contract to play in the ECHL. The AHL does not have authority regarding movement of players who are on an NHL contract.

The Sabres should be better, especially with the addition of left wing Taylor Hall, who likely will play with center Jack Eichel, and Eric Staal, who will be their No. 2 center. However, can Linus Ullmark be a legitimate No. 1 goalie? Is Carter Hutton going to deliver as the backup? Of those two, Ullmark is the key. He showed a lot of promise last season, when he was 17-14-3 with a 2.69 goals-against average and .915 save percentage in 34 starts. If he builds on that, the Sabres might just have enough, but that's still a big if because it's betting on potential, not experience.

"If you're playing a regular schedule of games, you can't quarantine players for 14 days as you're moving in and out of the country, which is why, among the other issues that are going to impact a possible season, is we literally would have to realign and create a situation where maybe the teams in Canada only play each other, and we have to realign the way all of our teams are playing competitively," the Commissioner said.

Gasol and his agent recently discussed training camp deals with some NBA teams, but Gasol preferred to do more conditioning before seriously engaging in talks, he said. He has been training in Northern California, where he is living with his wife, Catherine McDonnell, and their 3-month-old daughter, as he hopes to play again in the NBA as more than a glorified coach.